Advice needed

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-02-2006
Advice needed
29
Fri, 06-20-2008 - 6:40am

I've been considering becoming a pastry chef for the last several months.

As some of you know I have a job now. That job sucks. My boss is a rude, angry person who likes to dump a lot of extra work on me if she doesn't want to bother with it or, more likely, just doesn't know how to do it. I end up leaving at 6 or later to solve problems while everybody else is gone at 4:30. The "early shift" has been available 3 different times since I've been there but they won't give me the option of taking it because they want me there late instead, but it would just be common courtesy to make it available to me since I've been there a little while.

The company overall is horrible, people run away all the time. Over half of the entire building has turned over in the last year and a half/2 yrs. Some people don't even have jobs when they decide to leave, it's THAT bad.

There is 1 other person in the dept. that knows what they're doing and can do it fast. She tells me yesterday (apologizing for leaving me LOL) that she's giving her notice today. We already know that the company doesn't plan on replacing whoever leaves ($$$$$) so things will most certainly be getting even worse for me than they already are.

My parents passed away young, so I have about $75-80K in the bank and since (as you may know) I have no social life, I'm not exactly spending that $$$ anyways. I don't live paycheck to paycheck. It would take, who knows, 3-4-5 years (longer) before $$$ would be an issue for me.

QUESTION: Should I just quit now? I don't want to be there, every summer gets ruined by my job and this will likely be the worst one in the 3 yrs. I've been there. I'm going to be getting advice from family this weekend when I stop by delivering candies I've made, but I'd like some opinions here too.




Edited 6/20/2008 7:18 am ET by jeffinny
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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-27-2005
In reply to: jeffinny
Fri, 06-20-2008 - 7:53am

Jeffinny,


Follow your heart. First take some time and check out different culinary schools.Are there any in your area? Check out tuition, scholarships, job placement programs. I would do this wile you still have a job. Maybe go visit some restaurants, see if you can schedule a sit down with a pastry chef or kitchen manager to get a true ideal of what you want to do.Maybe, just maybe you can get a job working in a nice restaurant as some kind of a kitchen assistant. What better ideal to see what it is like working in a restaurant style setting. Or check out some local


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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-01-2006
In reply to: jeffinny
Fri, 06-20-2008 - 7:59am

Jeff, I don't usually tell people to quit a job until they have another one lined up, but if you hate it that badly, then do quit. Do you have health insurance through this job? If so, you shouldn't quit until you find another one. Like male said, don't rely on that money to last long.


It's only something you can decide. Are there other places in the area that you can be getting your resume out to? Take a week off and go job hunting. Really push yourself. Do you know anyone else in the business that you can talk to?I would think a lot of those jobs are by word of mouth. Market yourself, tell others you're looking.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-02-2006
In reply to: jeffinny
Fri, 06-20-2008 - 8:03am

I have taken some pastry classes for fun and keep in contact with the pastry chef that taught them. She said I could go to school for it, or just do what she did years ago....walk in someplace and say "hire me"

Yes, the hours can be long at times, other times not. But where I am now I'm basically the only one expected to do the long/hard work.

As for $$$, my car is paid for, house is paid for. The beer and the spring break....nope. Not a drinker, not a party guy. My friday and saturday nights are the same as a monday or tuesday night - go to the gym, go for a walk, sit her on the computer - stuff like that. I've got a VERY low maintenance lifestyle. VERY!!! LOL

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-02-2006
In reply to: jeffinny
Fri, 06-20-2008 - 8:06am

I've taken some classes from a pastry chef at a local culinary center (very upscale place) and she says I could just DO IT.

Health insurance would be the only expense I'd really have to take on. Car and house are paid for and I live w/my brother who has a very very well paying job.

As for health in general - my job is killing me. It makes me an angry person, I'm stressed and when I think about my job too long I get chest pains.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-27-2005
In reply to: jeffinny
Fri, 06-20-2008 - 8:20am

Then do what makes you feel good.

Carpe Diem. Sieze the Day, make the most out of your life, becuase life is short and time is fleeting.

male65401

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the thingsyou didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bow lines.Sail away from the safe harbor.Catch the trade winds in your
sails.Explore. Dream.Discover" ...

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-01-2006
In reply to: jeffinny
Fri, 06-20-2008 - 8:56am
Ok, I'll make the decision for you! Quit. You don't need that kind of aggravation. Then get your resume out to everyone and everyplace in the area. Go in person and drop it off. Try to set up appointments to meet with the hiring manager.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2008
In reply to: jeffinny
Fri, 06-20-2008 - 9:03am

Jeff,


I'm with the rest of the chorus...GO...DO...BE!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-02-2006
In reply to: jeffinny
Fri, 06-20-2008 - 9:04am

The pastry chef I had as a teacher for some classes says that I could be hired NOW to make desserts, I just have to go door to door and look for it. She's been very encouraging and said to me once "you think of things to do that I wouldn't have thought of" - like my cheesecakes between 2 layers of cake...yummm

So far all the feedback I'm getting from friends in my email say to QUIT too :-) I'm still looking for opinions here, I'll check in w/the family over the weekend etc. But I'm leaning towards walking away. That place has screwed me over countless times - always changing my hours to be less convenient, lots of rude people bringing me things late just as I want to be going home etc. etc. etc....oh, I've got lots of stories.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-02-2006
In reply to: jeffinny
Fri, 06-20-2008 - 9:06am

Some people I know have mentioned to me that I could/should sell my stuff to local restaurants, I may be looking into that for sure.

HELLOOOO.....KD, are you out there...need your opinion Ms. at home catering expert!!!! LOL

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-03-2006
In reply to: jeffinny
Fri, 06-20-2008 - 9:12am
I recently had an opportunity pass me by that I am now kicking myself for. I had an opportunity to submit examples of my writing style to a higly circulated magazine that reports on the heavy metal scene, does album and concert reviews etc. That would be a dream job for me, can you imagine me interviewing musicans for a living? lol..anyways...I didn't do it mainly because I have security in my current job and I felt it wouldn't be fair to my family to take a leap of faith on something that wasn't guaranteed to allow me to support my family. I should have done it, but I didn't. Having said that, and coupled with the fact that money is not an issue for you, you should go for it. Always follow your dream, especially if you have the means. You will be a much happier person in the end.

Lothiriel


death3.jpg sandman death image by rst001


Death: You get what everyone gets....you get a lifetime.....

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